52 Pa. Code § 69.192 - Affiliated interest-statement of policy

The following policies should be applied by the local distribution companies (LDCs):

(1) The LDC should apply its tariffs in a nondiscriminatory manner to its affiliate, its own marketing division and any nonaffiliate.

(2) The LDC should likewise not apply a tariff provision in any manner that would give its affiliate or division an unreasonable preference over other marketers with regard to matters such as scheduling, balancing, transportation, storage, curtailment or nondelivery.

(3) If a tariff provision is mandatory, the LDC should not waive the provision for its affiliate or division absent prior approval of the Commission.

(4) If a tariff provision is not mandatory or provides for waivers, the LDC should grant the waivers without preference to affiliates and divisions or nonaffiliates.

(5) The LDC should maintain a chronological log of tariff provisions for which it has granted waivers. Entries should include the name of the party receiving the waiver, the date and time of the request, the specific tariff provision waived and the reason for the waiver. Any chronological log should be open for public inspection during normal business hours.

(6) The LDC should process requests for transportation promptly and in a nondiscriminatory fashion with respect to other requests received in the same or a similar period. The LDC should maintain a chronological log showing the processing of requests for transportation services. Any chronological log should be open for public inspection during normal business hours.

(7) Transportation discounts provided to the LDC's or its marketing affiliate's favored customers should be offered to other similarly situated customers and should not be tied to any unrelated service, incentive or offer on behalf of either the parent or affiliate. A chronological log should be maintained showing the date, party, time and rationale for the action. Any chronological log should be open for public inspection during normal business hours.

(8) The LDC should not disclose any customer proprietary information to its marketing affiliate or division, and to the extent that it does disclose customer information, it should do so to other similarly situated marketers in a similar fashion so as not to selectively disclose, delay disclosure, or give itself or its affiliate any undue advantage related to the disclosure. A chronological log should be maintained showing the date, time and rationale for the disclosure. Any chronological log should be open for public inspection during normal business hours.

(9) An LDC should justly and reasonably allocate to its marketing affiliate or division the costs or expenses for general administration or support services.

(10) An LDC selling surplus gas supplies and/or upstream capacity on a short-term basis (as defined by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's definition) to its affiliate should make supplies available to similarly situated marketers on a nondiscriminatory basis. An LDC should not make any gas supplies and/or upstream capacity available through private disclosure to an LDC's affiliate unless the availability is made simultaneously with public dissemination in a manner that fairly apprises interested parties of the availability of the gas supplies and/or upstream capacity. An LDC should maintain a chronological log of these public disseminations. Any chronological log should be open for public inspection during normal business hours.

(11) The LDC should not condition or tie agreements to release interstate pipeline capacity to any service in which the LDC or affiliate is involved.

(12) The LDC should not directly or by implication unfairly represent to any customer, supplier or third party that an advantage may accrue to any party through use of the LDC's affiliate or subsidiary.

(13) The LDC should establish and file with the Commission a complaint procedure for dealing with any alleged violations of any of the standards listed in paragraphs (1)-(12), this paragraph or paragraphs (14) and (15), excepting for paragraph (9), which should be exclusively under the purview of the Commission. These procedures should be developed in consultation with interested parties during consideration of any tariff guided by this section and § 69.191 (relating to general). The Commission may expect establishment of a complaint procedure or other recordkeeping requirements if warranted by subsequent facts or circumstances.

(14) The LDC should keep a chronological log of any complaints, excepting paragraph (9), regarding discriminatory treatment of brokers. This chronological log should include the date and nature of the complaint and the LDC's resolution of it. Any chronological log should be open for public inspection during normal business hours.

(15) Parties alleging violations of these standards may pursue their allegations through the Commission's established complaint procedures. A complainant bears the burden of proof consistent with 66 Pa.C.S. (relating to Public Utility Code) in regard to the allegations.

Notes

52 Pa. Code § 69.192

The provisions of this § 69.192 adopted August 15, 1997, effective 8/16/1997, 27 Pa.B. 4102.

This section cited in 52 Pa. Code § 69.191 (relating to general).